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The second kind of positive evil which the desires
cause the soul is in their tormenting and afflicting
of it, after the manner of one who is in torment
through being bound with cords from which he has no
relief until he be freed. And of these David says:
Funes peccatorum circumplexi sunt me.[131] The cords
of my sins, which are my desires, have constrained me
round about.
And, even as one that lies naked upon thorns and
briars is tormented and afflicted, even so is the
soul tormented and afflicted when it rests upon its
desires. For they take hold upon it and distress it
and cause it pain, even as do thorns. Of these David
says likewise: Circumdederunt me sicut apes: et
exarserunt sicut ignis in spinis.[132] Which
signifies: They compassed me about like bees,
wounding me with their stings, and they were
enkindled against me, like fire among thorns; for in
the desires, which are the thorns, increases the fire
of anguish and torment.
And even as the husbandman, coveting the harvest
for which he hopes, afflicts and torments the ox in
the plough, even so does concupiscence afflict a soul
that is subject to its desire to attain that for
which it longs. This can be clearly seen in that
desire which Dalila had to know whence Samson derived
his strength that was so great, for the Scripture
says that it fatigued and tormented her so much that
it caused her to swoon, almost to the point of death,
and she said: Defecit anima ejus, et ad mortem usque
lassata est.[133]
2. The more intense is the desire, the greater is
the torment which it causes the soul. So that the
torment increases with the desire; and the greater
are the desires which possess the soul, the greater
are its torments; for in such a soul is fulfilled,
even in this life, that which is said in the
Apocalypse concerning Babylon, in these words:
Quantum glorificavit se, et in deliciis fuit, tantum
date illi tormentum, et luctum.[134] That is: As much
as she has wished to exalt and fulfil her desires, so
much give ye to her torment and anguish.
And even as one that falls into the hands of his
enemies is tormented and afflicted, even so is the
soul tormented and afflicted that is led away by its
desires. Of this there is a figure in the Book of the
Judges, wherein it may be read that that strong man,
Samson, who at one time was strong and free and a
judge of Israel, fell into the power of his enemies,
and they took his strength from him, and put out his
eyes, and bound him in a mill, to grind corn,[135]
wherein they tormented and afflicted him
greatly;[136] and thus it happens to the soul in
which these its enemies, the desires, live and rule;
for the first thing that they do is to weaken the
soul and blind it, as we shall say below; and then
they afflict and torment it, binding it to the mill
of concupiscence; and the bonds with which it is
bound are its own desires.
3. Wherefore God, having compassion on these that
with such great labour, and at such cost to
themselves, go about endeavouring to satisfy the
hunger and thirst of their desire in the creatures,
says to them through Isaias: Omnes sitientes, venite
ad aquas; et qui non habetis argentum, properate,
emite, el comedite: venite, emite absque argento
vinum et lac. Quare appenditis argentum non in
panibus, et laborem vestrum non in saturitate?[137]
As though He were to say: All ye that have thirst
of desire, come to the waters, and all ye that have
no silver of your own will and desires, make haste;
buy from Me and eat; come and buy from Me wine and
milk (that is, spiritual sweetness and peace) without
the silver of your own will, and without giving Me
any labour in exchange for it, as ye give for your
desires. Wherefore do ye give the silver of your will
for that which is not bread -- namely, that of the
Divine Spirit -- and set the labour of your desires
upon that which cannot satisfy you? Come, hearkening
to Me, and ye shall eat the good that ye desire and
your soul shall delight itself in fatness.
4. This attaining to fatness is a going forth from
all pleasures of the creatures; for the creatures
torment, but the Spirit of God refreshes. And thus He
calls us through Saint Matthew, saying: Venite ad me
omnes, qui laboratis et onerati estis, et ego
reficiam vos, et invenietis requiem animabus vestris.[138]
As though He were to say: All ye that go about
tormented, afflicted and burdened with the burden of
your cares and desires, go forth from them, come to
Me, and I will refresh you and ye shall find for your
souls the rest which your desires take from you,
wherefore they are a heavy burden, for David says of
them: Sicut onus grave gravatoe sunt super me.[139] |